STUDENT SERVICES DURING FINALS WEEK

Many of you have already finished finals and others are still working hard. We want to give you an overview of the expanded services the University is providing as we hit this final stretch of the semester. The Division of Operations and Planning (OPS), Campus Dining, and Davis Library have organized a number of services to make your lives a little easier.

Shuttle:
A campus shuttle will operate 10pm to 3am, Sunday night through Wednesday night. The shuttle will make stops at the University Center/Library and transport students to West Campus, North Campus parking, Beeson Woods, and Lower LSW parking.

Food Service:
Though the Café will be open from 10pm to 3am for students to utilize as study space, there will not be food service. However, the food court will be open all night long starting Sunday evening and will provide limited snacks and beverages for purchase. In addition, there will be complimentary treats each night provided by Residence Life. (Sunday night they will have donuts in the residence halls, and Monday through Wednesday they will provide treats at a study break table located by the HUB).

Spaces for study and group work:
The following areas are available for your use as you prepare for finals. We have worked to ensure that there will be space available 24 hours a day. Please remember that the UC is open all day for your use.

Davis Library

University Center Study Room (located by the Food Court and mailboxes) – Key available for check out at the HUB

University Center Conference Room 112 (located next to the new Jabez statue) – Key available for check out at the HUB

University Center Flag Colonnade (located behind the HUB) – this area will be designated as a quiet zone for study

Café. This space will be open for use by individuals or groups studying, with limited food service.

DECEMBER EXAM HOURS

Please remember that the University Library is open until 2 a.m. from December 1-9. To see a complete listing of library hours, please visit http://library.samford.edu/about/hours.html# and click on "December 2009."

FREEDOM WITHOUT WALLS: REPLICAS OF THE BERLIN WALL

Freedom Without Walls - Replicas of the Berlin Wall

Exhibit: November 24 - December 4, 2009

The Freedom Without Walls project is sponsored nationally by the German Missions to the United States in commemoration of the 20th Anniversary of the Fall of the Berlin Wall on November 9, 1989. The Samford German Club and Delta Phi Alpha German Honor Society are proud to participate in the nation-wide celebration by presenting a replica of the Berlin Wall. The walls on display at Samford are four replicas of the section of the Berlin Wall that faced West Berlin. They are donated to Samford by the AlabamaGermany Partnership in cooperation with the Freunde Deutscher Sprache und Kultur (FDSK), the Birmingham German Club.

These walls were decorated by Samford and UAB students and commemorate the freedom sought and achieved by the East German people on November 9, 1989, when they brought about the end of the division of Germany in a peaceful revolution. they also serve as a symbolic representation of the freedom from oppression sought by all people. They were on display at the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute from November 9, 2009 until November 23, 2009.

The wall may be viewed on the second floor in the Reading Room.

Closing date: December 4, 2009.

PostSecret is an ongoing community art project started in 2004 by Frank Warren. You can read about the history of the project here: http://www.postsecretcommunity.com/news-faq/postsecret-story.

There is also a detailed Wikipedia article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PostSecret.

Many colleges and universities have started their own PostSecret projects. You can read about them here: http://www.postsecretcommunity.com/postsecret-events.

November 9-30, PostSecret will come to Samford. The cards that have been submitted are funny, sad, moving, silly, angry, and often deeply thought-provoking. Come to the library November 9-30 and view the display. You can also visit us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/pages/Birmingham-AL/Samford-University-University-Library/40083044488?ref=ts

You can listen to a WVSU radio interview about the PostSecret project at http://www4.samford.edu/groups/wvsu/ondemand.html.

Blank postcards are available for those who would like to submit one. It's not too late!

EDGAR ALLEN POE DIGITAL COLLECTION

The Edgar Allen Poe Digital Collection was launched to accompany the 2009 Poe Bicentennial exhibition, “From Out That Shadow: The Life and Legacy of Edgar Allan Poe,” a joint venture of the University of Texas Harry Ransom Center and the Small Special Collections Library at the University of Virginia.

The digital collection incorporates images of all Poe manuscripts and letters at the Ransom Center with a selection of related archival materials, two books by Poe annotated by the author, sheet music based on his poems, and portraits from the Ransom Center collections. Poe’s manuscripts and letters are linked to transcriptions on the website of the Poe Society of Baltimore.

Most of the items in the exhibition from the Harry Ransom Center collections once belonged to William H. Koester (1888–1964). Koester, a resident of Baltimore, began collecting first editions and manuscripts of Poe in the 1930s; his major acquisition was the collection of the Richmond Poe scholar and collector J. H. Whitty. In addition to the manuscripts of “The Domain of Arnheim,” “The Spectacles,” and some of Poe’s most famous poems, the Koester collection includes many letters written by and to Poe, books belonging to Poe (including the author’s annotated copies of the Tales and Poems and Eureka), and a large group of sheet music for songs based on Poe’s works.

REMEMBERING EDGAR ALLAN POE

October seems an appropriate month to remember Edgar Allan Poe. On Poe’s bicentennial, enjoy two fascinating web sites:

http://www.iknowpoe.com/
A great introductory site filled with primary resources, interesting facts and myths about Poe, and an interactive game

http://www.poemuseum.org/
"Richmond's Poe Museum boasts the world's finest collection of Edgar Allan Poe's manuscripts, letters, first editions, memorabilia and personal belongings” (Source: http://www.poemuseum.org/about_the_museum/index.html). Enjoy selected works, biographical information, educational resources, and more.

President Proclaims October 2009 - NATIONAL INFORMATION LITERACY AWARENESS MONTH

THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary
___________________________________________________________________
For Immediate Release October 1, 2009

NATIONAL INFORMATION LITERACY AWARENESS MONTH, 2009
- - - - - - -
BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
A PROCLAMATION

Every day, we are inundated with vast amounts of information. A 24-hour news cycle and thousands of global television and radio networks, coupled with an immense array of online resources, have challenged our long-held perceptions of information management. Rather than merely possessing data, we must also learn the skills necessary to acquire, collate, and evaluate information for any situation. This new type of literacy also requires competency with communication
technologies, including computers and mobile devices that can help in our day-to-day decisionmaking. National Information Literacy Awareness Month highlights the need for all Americans to be adept in the skills necessary to effectively navigate the Information Age.

Though we may know how to find the information we need, we must also know how to evaluate it. Over the past decade, we have seen a crisis of authenticity emerge. We now live in a world where anyone can publish an opinion or perspective, whether true or not, and have that opinion amplified within the information marketplace. At the same time, Americans have unprecedented access to the diverse and independent sources of information, as well as institutions such as libraries and universities, that can help separate truth from fiction and signal from noise.

Our Nation's educators and institutions of learning must be aware of -- and adjust to -- these new realities. In addition to the basic skills of reading, writing, and arithmetic, it is equally important that our students are given the tools required to take advantage of the information available to them. The ability to seek, find, and decipher information can be applied to countless life decisions, whether financial, medical, educational, or technical.

This month, we dedicate ourselves to increasing information literacy awareness so that all citizens understand its vital importance. An informed and educated citizenry is essential to the functioning of our modern democratic society, and I encourage educational and community institutions across the country to help Americans find and evaluate the information they seek, in all its forms.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim October 2009 as National Information Literacy Awareness Month. I call upon the people of the United States to recognize the important role information plays in our daily lives, and appreciate the need for a greater understanding of its impact.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this first day of October, in the year of our Lord two thousand nine, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-fourth.

BARACK OBAMA

SAMFORD "POST SECRET" PROJECT

Samford Students Share their Secrets
November 1 - 30, 2009
First Floor, University Library

In early October, Samford students received a small white postcard in their mailboxes asking them to "Share Your Secret." Over the course of the month, the Samford community and anyone else who found a postcard around campus were encouraged to share a secret anonymously that they have never told anyone. The secret could be “a regret, fear, worry, betrayal, desire, confession, or humiliation…anything you wish, as long as it is true and it is a secret.” Organized by a pair of Samford students, the goal of the project is to provide the Samford community with an outlet to share something that is, perhaps, bigger than themselves.

The idea stemmed from an original art project called "PostSecret," created by Frank Warren. See http://www.postsecretcommunity.com/, and http://postsecret.blogspot.com/.

The postcards will be displayed in the Library during the month of November. As observers view the returned postcards, it is hoped that they will find a connection with the anonymous secrets… and realize that their own secrets aren’t so bad after all.

"THE AGE OF LINCOLN," J. RODERICK DAVIS LECTURE

On Thursday October 22, 2009, Dr. Orville Vernon Burton will deliver the J. Roderick Davis Lecture. The theme of this year's lecture is "The Age of Lincoln."

The lecture will be delivered at the Wright Center at 7:30 p.m. This event is free and open to the public.

An officer of the Congressional National Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission Foundation, Dr. Orville Vernon Burton is a prolific scholar having produced fifteen authored or edited books and more than one hundred articles. His most recent work, The Age of Lincoln, won the Chicago Tribune Heartland Literary Award for Nonfiction and was selected as book of the month by the Book of the Month Club, the History Book Club, and the Military Book Club.

For further details, including directions to the Wright Center, please click here.

"LIVE @ THE LIBRARY" TO FEATURE CARMEN ACEVEDO BUTCHER

As part of this year’s Homecoming festivities, Samford University Library is proud to present Dr. Carmen Acevedo Butcher. Dr. Butcher will be our featured speaker for “Live at the Library” on Saturday, November 7th at 9:30 a.m. in the main reading room of the library. The presentation, “Coming Home to Christ in a Facebook World: Our Friend, Teacher, and God,” is open to attendees of all ages.

Dr. Butcher is an associate professor of English and Scholar-in-Residence at Shorter College in Rome, Georgia. She serves as a commentator for Georgia Public Broadcasting and has also appeared on GPB’s Georgia Gazette and The Issue. She has written for Christianity Today, Christian History & Biography, The Well, publications from Cambridge University Press, Western Michigan University’s Medieval Institute, Magistra: A Journal of Women’s Spirituality in History, and others. In addition to writing articles and giving local, national, and international lectures, she is the author of books on medieval literature, Christian mystics, and linguistics. Her books include God of Mercy: Ælfric’s Sermons and Theology published by Mercer University Press; A Little Daily Wisdom (formerly Incandescence: 365 Readings with Women Mystics), Hildegard of Bingen: A Spiritual Reader, and Man of Blessing: A Life of St. Benedict with Paraclete Press; and in collaboration with John Algeo, the fifth and sixth editions of Problems in the Origins and Development of the English Language and Answer Key published by Heinle/Wadsworth of Cengage Learning. In April 2009, Shambhala Publications released her translations of The Cloud of Unknowing and The Book of Privy Counsel, two classic medieval works on Christian contemplative prayer.

Dr. Butcher was the 2006 Carnegie Foundation Professor of the Year for Georgia and received the 2007 President’s Award for Excellence in Teaching and Scholarship at Shorter College. She has been a Fulbright scholar and lecturer twice. She was a Fulbright Senior Lecturer at Sogang University in Seoul, South Korea for the 2004-2005 academic year, and she was a Fulbright Scholar at the University of London from 1989-1991, conducting research in the British Library, the Bodleian, and other Oxbridge libraries.

This event is free and open to the public. For more information, visit Dr. Butcher’s web site at www.carmenbutcher.com or contact Eric Allen at epallen@samford.edu or (205) 726.2846.

FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION IN CYBERSPACE: WHO SHOULD DECIDE WHAT YOU PUBLISH?

Facebook, blogs, Twitter and other electronic media have made published writers of us all. But what responsibilities accompany this ability to publish? What limits apply? When, if ever, should another individual or institution have a say about what we post?

Student and faculty panelists will explore these issues at the forum "Freedom of Expression in Cyberspace: Who Should Decide What You Publish?"

The program will be held Thursday, Oct. 1, at 1 p.m. in Brock Forum. It is co-sponsored by the Mann Center, the University Library, the Journalism and Mass Communication Department, and the University Fellows program. Convo credit will be awarded for attendance. Click here to learn more about questions and issues surrounding social media.

UNIVERSITY LIBRARY NEWS, SEPTEMBER 2009

Click here to read the September 2009 "University Library News."

WELCOME TO FALL 2009

Welcome to the Fall 2009 semester. We in the University Library are looking forward to a great semester with you. Please take advantage of our many wonderful print and electronic resources. Most of our electronic resources—the catalog, databases, e-books, etc—can be accessed 24/7 from wherever you might have an Internet connection. You’ll need only your SU email ID and password. Visit us to get some personalized research assistance, to browse our collections, or to check out books, music, DVDs, and more. For faculty, we’ll be happy to set up instruction sessions for your classes. We hope you have a wonderful semester. Please let us know if we can help.
—

NEW DATABASE RESOURCES

We are delighted to announce the acquisition of two new databases:

1. Archive Grid is a database containing nearly a million descriptions of archival collections from all over the world. It includes historical documents, personal papers, manuscripts and family histories. It's materials have been catalogued and described by librarians and archivists.

2. CAMIO is an acronym for "Catalog of Art Museum Images Online." It is a premiere resource for works of art from around the world, contributed and described by leading museums. Containing a wide range of fine and decorative art, CAMIO provides high-quality art images for education, research and enjoyment. All content is rights-cleared for educational use.

LIBGUIDES REFERENCE SUBJECT PAGES

If you are in the habit of using University Library subject pages to locate databases, reference books, and web sites for your discipline or topic, you’ll notice that there has been a in layout and appearance.

We have acquired a product called LibGuides that is specifically designed to manage and display library content. The LibGuides product is used by hundreds of colleges and universities to create and share library subject pages, special topic pages, and instruction materials.

Over the next few weeks, we’ll continue to update and refine our new pages. If you have suggestions or comments, you will find feedback forms on each page and ratings for selected resources. We also invite you to respond to this email with your thoughts; we’d love to hear from you.

We’ll be offering a couple of instruction sessions on the new interface during the Week of Beginnings. Watch your e-mail for dates and times.

FLY ME TO THE MOON

Perhaps you missed the moon landing by a few years. Perhaps you feel a little spacey about the space program. Or perhaps you just like good nonfiction.

To celebrate the 40th anniversary of the moon landing, the Association of American University Presses has updated its book list on the topic Space Flight and Exploration, which was originally published in 2003. A new subject category is "to the Moon." More than 20 new titles are featured.” Blast off to http://news.shelf-awareness.com/nview.jsp?appid=411&j=725227 and explore for yourself.

RECENT E-BOOK ACQUISITIONS

We are pleased to announce our most recent list of electronic book acquistions. We will be adding many more titles to this list over the next few months. A list of the current new acquistions is available here:

http://library.samford.edu/newacq/ebooks.html

FREE ACCESS TO SWINE FLU FACTS

In times like these, rumors, misinformation and conjecture lay the foundation for panic. Help your community learn the facts about H1N1, commonly known as the swine flu, with free access to resources from the Gale company.

The following site is dedicated to providing up-to-date news and information about the swine flu from around the world, and dozens of eBooks from Gale and its partners providing provide scientific and historical facts about H1N1:

http://www.uptilt.com/ct.html?rtr=on&s=4rs,16gzq,2pt5,kizf,hbvy,601g,hcd

BARNES & NOBLE SUMMER READING PROGRAM

Barnes & Noble is starting up their 2009 Summer Reading program.

Your child will need to read 8 books of his or her own choosing and record them in the Summer Reading Journal available here:
http://images.bn.com/pimages/bn-junior/resources/2009/Summer_Reading_Journal.pdf

A parent/guardian signs the journal when it's complete. Then the child can bring his or her completed Reading Journal to a Barnes & Noble store between May 26th & September 7th, 2009 and get a coupon for a FREE book! You can check out more details here: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/summerreading/ .

INTERLIBRARY LOAN TRANSACTIONS REACH 50,000

We all know that the University Library is home to thousands of books, articles, and special collections materials. What may be less obvious is the essential work carried out by Gail Barton, Bradley Harris, and their small army of student workers in the Interlibrary Loan Department on the second floor of the University Library.

College and university libraries have a long-standing practice of lending materials to one another, and Samford is certainly no exception. In fact, our Interlibrary Loan department is very active both in borrowing from other libraries and lending Samford-owned materials to others.

As of this afternoon, April 30, 2009, the Interlibrary Loan Department reached the 50,000 mark: 50,000 total requests processing through ILL since July of 2005. What a great achievement for this hard-working and essential service.

Moreover, ILL has been closed in on this 50,000 number very quickly. The department reached the 40,000 mark on September 6, 2008--just last fall. The most recent 10,000 items borrowed and lent have been processed in less than a year.

Gail and her team labor largely in the background, but the contribution of ILL to the intellectual life of Samford is immeasurable. Congratulations to Gail Barton and the Interlibrary Loan Department on a great achievement.

OPEN MIC POETRY READING

We had a fantastic open mic poetry reading today. Birmingham poet Michael Virga was our emcee for this event, at which 20+ students, faculty and staff shared their favorite poems as well as some of their own poetry. To view more photos, visit our Facebook pages.

CONGRATULATIONS LAURA MORELLO

Congratulations to Laura Morello, the 2009 Samford University Student Employee of the Year! We are so proud of you!

Laura, a graduating senior in the department of Interior Design, currently works in the reference unit. She divides her time between interlibrary loan, government documents and reference. Congratulations on a much-deserved award!

CHILDREN'S ART EXHIBIT: GOD'S BEAUTIFUL WORLD

“God saw all that he had made, and it was very good.” -- Genesis 1:31

In honor of the Center’s tenth anniversary during the 2008-2009 academic year, the University Library is displaying works of art created by some of its students.

Location: University Library, 1st floor
Inclusive Dates: April 3 – April 17, 2009

EARTH DAY ART SHOW (PRIZES!)

In celebration of Earth Day, all members of the Samford community are invited to submit original works of art to the 2009 Earth Day Art Exhibition, to be held in the University Library. Click here to view an event flyer. We are accepting any piece of art that is framed and/or matted and suitable for hanging, or sculpture that is ready to display.The exhibit will be held April 19-May 1, 2009, and first ($200) second ($100) and third ($50) prizes will be awarded at an Art Reception, Tuesday, April 29th. To participate in the show, you must deliver your artwork between Wednesday, April 1 and Wednesday, April 15 to Lori Northrup, Room 225, University Library. If you have questions, please email Lori Northrup lanorthr@samford.edu.

APRIL IS NATIONAL POETRY MONTH

National Poetry Month is a month-long, national celebration of poetry established by the Academy of American Poets in 1996. The University Library is joining with the Academy of American Poets and numerous schools and libraries throughout the U.S. by increasing the visibility of the poetry in our collection and encouraging patrons to explore this rich and diverse area. Come view our display on the first floor of the University Library.

NATIONAL LIBRARY WEEK APRIL 12-18 2009

In collaboration with the American Library Association, Samford University Libraries will be celebrating National Library Week April 12-18, 2009.

Please join us for a week of daily prize-drawings, coffee in the library, fine amnesty, and poetry readings.

Tuesday April 14—In celebration of National Library Worker Day, join us at 10 a.m. or 2 p.m. for snacks and a behind-the-scenes library tour. Interested? Meet at the circulation desk on the first floor. Libraries work because we do!

Wednesday April 15—Visit the first floor at 8 a.m., 10 a.m., and 2 p.m. for a fresh, hot cup of coffee.

Thursday April 16—April is National Poetry Month. Weather permitting, poets and poetry-lovers will meet on the front steps of the library at 10 a.m. for reading and open mic time. Open mic signup begins at 9:30 a.m.Thursday is also Fine Amnesty Day! Present your ID and overdue returned books, CDs, DVDs and videos at the circulation desk, and your fines for those materials will be forgiven. (This does not apply to materials placed in the book drop, lost materials that have been billed, processing charges, or study room keys).

Friday April 17—Our final drawing will be today, so be sure you’ve signed up at the circulation desk.

If you have questions, please contact Naomi Gold, ngold@samford.edu. We look forward to seeing you in the library!

FEMINIST THEOLOGY

March is Women's History Month. At the suggestion and with the assistance of Dr. Nancy Whitt, the University Library hosts until the end of the month a display of books of feminist theology. While the collection is not exhaustive, it does include some pioneering works in this area by authors such as Carol P. Christ, Naomi Goldenberg, Mary Daly, Katie Cannon and Rosemary Reuther. Included also is a copy of Elizabeth Cady Stanton's The Woman's Bible, published 1895-1898. Take some time to explore these and other books that exhibit the variety and creativity of women's theological writing. This display is on the 2nd floor of the University Library at the top of the central staircase.

ACTIVE MINDS: CHANGING THE CONVERSATION ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH

Dr. Jackie Goldstein of Samford's psychology department is working to bring to Samford a chapter of the national student organization "Active Minds" (http://www.activeminds.org/). A planning meeting is being held Tuesday March 10 at 10:00 a.m. in 202/04 Burns. If you would like more information, please call Dr. Goldstein at 726-2118, or email her at jlgoldst@samford.edu.



The library is working with Dr. Goldstein on this important project by displaying a variety of books related to mental illness. We will be adding to this display over the next few days. Please stop by and have a look during your next visit to the library.

HITCHENS/LENNOX DEBATE

Acclaimed journalist Christopher Hitchens will be going head to head with Christian apologist and Oxford Professor John Lennox on March 3, 2009 at the Samford University Wright Center. This event has been organized and is sponsored by the Socratic club, http://www.socraticclub.com/. You may visit the Socratic Club website to purchase tickets, or call 205.807.4477 for more information.

LIBERAL ARTS BLOGS

It can be hard to keep up with listservs, never mind the ever-expanding "blogosphere." Here's a site that lists blogs related to the liberal arts. You'll notice that some subjects are omitted, but it's a useful list nonetheless. Enjoy!

http://www.universityreviewsonline.com/2005/10/the-top-100-lib.html

You can also create your own list of your favorite blogs by searching for blogs at a variety of sites: Google Blog Search, Technorati, and Blog Search from Ask.com are few that I have used. Here's a more thorough list of blog search engines.

AMERICAN SLAVERY: A COMPOSITE AUTOBIOGRAPHY

During Black History Month, we'd like to remind the community about a resource that the University Library added several years ago at the request of our former president, Dr. Corts.
The source is "American Slavery: a Composite Autobiography." Click here to access it.

Published online in 2000, this Greenwood product reproduces over 2,000 American slave narratives. The database is searchable by name of the narrator, subject under discussion, “master,” interviewer, and county. These narratives are a primary source treasure trove for researchers. The narratives are filled with detail and provide first-hand accounts of slave life and life after slavery. They were recorded in the 1930’s by the Works Project Administration, and the interviewing methods and questions as well as the interviewers are themselves potential subjects for research. Several sound files, recorded in the South in the mid-‘30s by Alan Lomax, Zora Neale Hurston, and Mary Elizabeth Barnicle, are also included in the collection.

JAMES BALDWIN, "ANOTHER COUNTRY" - NEW YORKER ARTICLE

Just in time for Black History Month, the most recent New Yorker has published a wonderful article about the life and work of writer James Baldwin and his conflicted, often heart-breaking relationship with the U.S., the civil rights movement, his public role as a black writer, and the artistic process. The article can be found here:

http://www.newyorker.com/arts/critics/books/2009/02/09/090209crbo_books_pierpont

BLACK HISTORY MONTH

February is Black History Month! You can learn more about black history in Encyclopaedia Britannica’s Guide to Black History, available online at http://www.search.eb.com/blackhistory .

This guide and many other useful and enlightening resources are a part of the Encyclopedia Britannica Online Academic Edition, a subscription made available to you through the University Library and the Alabama Virtual Library. This online academic version of EB contains much more information than its free online counterpart, available on the free Internet. This subscription includes:

· Full EB content;
· Research tools, including Timelines, World Data Analyst, Compare Countries, World Atlas, Notable Quotations, and Gateway to the Classics;
· Thousands of video clips, images, and animations;
· Daily features;
· The Britannica Blog;
· News headlines; and
· Featured spotlights relevant to current events and history.

If it’s been awhile since you used the Encyclopedia Britannica, toss out any notions you have of multivolume dusty texts; get acquainted with EB Online Academic. You’ll be surprised at what you can find.


Thanks to Lori Northrup for this posting.

SERVICE AWARDS

We are always proud of our colleagues in the University Library, and last week we had special reason to be proud of a number of library employees who were honored at Samford's January 23 Service Awards Reception.

Samford University's Office of Human Resources held the Awards Reception honoring those employees who reached milestones in their service to the University. The reception, held at The Club, was emceed by Fred Rogan, Director of Human Resources at Samford. Our library colleagues who were honored are:

20 years of service: Ed Craig, Law Library
15 years of service: Tabitha Moore, Cheryl Cecil, and Regina Regina Coleman, University Library
5 years of service: Beth Ashmore, Gail Barton, and Jaro Szurek, University Library

Joe Zellner of Technology Services, whose office is located in the University Library, was also honored for 5 years of service to Samford.

We congratulate these valued members of our library family for their expertise and service.

"TREASURES OF THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY: THE HARLEM RENAISSANCE"

This fascinating YouTube video provides a glimpse into some of the treasures in the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture. It is one of the many specialized collections within the New York Public Library system:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q0mMabhS5vw

PHOTOS FROM THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY ON FLICKR

The first part of this posting and the information it contains has been taken from Time Out New York Issue 693 : Jan 8–14, 2009
(http://www.timeout.com/newyork/articles/tv-dvd/70271/new-york-public-librarys-flickr-stream.)

"The Commons project is Flickr’s ongoing attempt to make publicly held photos more accessible...So far, it’s a big success: The Library of Congress has posted nearly 5,000 photos, and more and more cultural heritage institutions have been joining in. Last month, the New York Public Library got in on the action, posting around 1,300 of its photos." (http://www.flickr.com/photos/nypl/)

"The 16 sets of photos include images of early modern dance, Egypt, Japan in the late 19th century, cinema from 1912–14 and cyanotypes of British algae, among others...but my favorites are the pictures of New York. The shots from Ellis Island are fascinating but not sentimental. Berenice Abbott’s famous 'Changing New York' series perpetually absorbs new meaning. And the library’s documentation of its own history, in a set called 'NYPL: Work with Schools,' shows that even in 1910 there were kids...climbing all over each other to get to more books."
__________________

You will also be interested to learn about the NYPL Digital Gallery:

http://digitalgallery.nypl.org/
"NYPL Digital Gallery provides free and open access to over 640,000 images digitized from the The New York Public Library's vast collections, including illuminated manuscripts, historical maps, vintage posters, rare prints, photographs."

IM AND REFERENCE

You can now text the Reference department by sending a message to 265010. (Please note that this might result in the charge for a standard message text from your wireless service provider, depending on your plan.) Your message will be picked up by our chat reference service and the librarian on duty will respond.

THE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY AND AMAZON

Valentine’s Day, birthdays, anniversaries – the shopping season is never over! And you never need a special occasion to shop for books. Online shopping puts you just a click away from some great gift ideas for both yourself and others. As you shop in 2009, make sure that your dollars are supporting your library. When you shop at our listed online retailers, the University Library gets money; it’s just that simple.

So, please keep our program in mind when you shop online. As a reminder, for the library to receive credit for your purchases, you must click on a store’s link from this page:

http://library.samford.edu/about/support.html

You can also get to this page from the library’s home page, click “About SU Library,” then choose “Support SU Library.”

In case you haven’t visited the page recently, there are now eight online bookstores in the program:

Amazon
Barnes & Noble
Books A Million
AbeBooks
Alibris
Bibles.com
Family Christian Stores
Simply Audiobooks